Manipur Police Recovered Crucial Cell Phone in High-Profile Violence Case

Manipur police officials, who are currently investigating a horrifying case of violence that occurred on May 4, have made a breakthrough in their investigation. They have recovered a cell phone, believed to have been used to record a video of the incident, from one of the six people arrested in connection with the case. Although the identity of the person who recorded the video has not been disclosed, the cell phone is expected to be a crucial piece of evidence for the investigators.

The development comes after five of the accused were sent to 11-day police custody on Sunday night, with the police conducting raids at various suspected hideouts in an attempt to apprehend the other suspects involved in the case.

An anonymous police officer, familiar with the probe, stated, “The phones have been seized and sent to the cyber cell. We are confident we have the phone on which the video was recorded.”

Meanwhile, investigators are interrogating the six arrested individuals to uncover the roles played by other potential suspects in the heinous crime. The police suspect that some members of the mob involved in the incident may also have participated in the arson attack on B Phainom village on the same night. Therefore, they will investigate if the same mob was responsible for both incidents.

Although the crime occurred on May 4, Manipur police began their investigation two months later, following the emergence of a shocking 30-second video of the sexual assault. The footage, which quickly went viral on social media, depicted the perpetrators, identified as Meiteis in the First Information Report (FIR), harassing and assaulting the victims while being cheered on by others.

So far, the police have arrested five men and apprehended a juvenile in connection with the case. However, the investigation is ongoing, and more arrests are anticipated.

In a related development, the Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum (ITLF) recently released a report detailing at least 13 different cases of violence against women that occurred between May 3 and the present. The report includes incidents of murder, rape, and assault committed by mobs. The clashes began on May 3 when ethnic tensions escalated in Manipur, resulting in the deaths of around 150 people.

One of the incidents mentioned in the ITLF report involved a 57-year-old bureaucrat and her 27-year-old son who were attacked by a mob of approximately 200 people on May 4. The mob burned their car and killed them in the Langol area of Thoubal district.

It is worth noting that the ITLF report, which is based on interviews with witnesses and family members, has not been verified by the police or the state government. The report lacks First Information Reports (FIRs) or other supporting documentation for the incidents mentioned.

Since May 3, the state of Manipur has been plagued by ethnic clashes between the tribal Kukis, mainly residing in the hill districts, and the Meiteis, the dominant community in Imphal Valley. These clashes erupted after Kuki groups protested against a proposed alteration to the state’s reservation matrix, which would grant Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to the Meitei community. Consequently, approximately 50,000 people have been displaced, with many fleeing their homes and seeking refuge in jungles across state borders.

The Manipur police have yet to comment on the ITLF report, while the investigation into the May 4 violence continues. With the recovery of the cell phone, investigators hope to gain further insights into the perpetrators and bring them to justice.